This 2025 mental wellness trend has the world's 1% embracing the art of slowing down – and this is how their interior designers are equipping their mega-mansions for just that.
For the superrich, creating a superlative home is not merely a case of luxuriating in vast rooms furnished with the latest tech and most coveted designer pieces. In a world of 24/7 distraction, the ultimate luxury is a dedicated room where you can switch off, relax and escape from the noise of the outside world.
Interior designer Alessia Mainardi has noted an increase in demand among her high-net-worth clients for dedicated relaxation spaces which, she says, “reflects a growing need to disconnect from busy lives, prioritise mental health, and create a sanctuary for spirituality and mindfulness”. Such spaces are requested in addition to more conventional gyms and fitness spaces as, she adds, “they serve a different purpose: fitness for the body and meditation for the mind.”
At one of her recent projects, a house in Tuscany whose owners specifically wished for areas where they could meditate and connect with nature, Mainardi incorporated a meditation and relaxation room that features a large Japanese-style daybed hung with sheer drapes, sparely furnished, and with a simple open fireplace: the polar opposite of a high-tech gym space fitted out with machinery and weights.
For her, the essential design elements of a room dedicated to relaxing include neutral tones, soft edges and “elements that evoke spirituality, such as natural textures and soothing lighting”.
Of course, everybody’s idea of relaxation, and thus spaces for mental wellness, is different, so these spaces can take on a number of different looks. Ben Johnson, director of upscale interior design firm Albion Nord, says: “We’ve observed a growing trend toward creating private sanctuaries or ‘escape’ spaces within the home. Historically, grand properties have often included rooms dedicated to relaxation — drawing rooms, parlours, cigar rooms, libraries and the like. However, today’s designs are leaning into more playful and wellness-focused accommodations.”
Addressing the playful side of downtime, current Albion Nord projects include private residences with speakeasy-style bars and games rooms in the basements, which intentionally contrast design-wise with the look of the floors above. “Here, the aesthetic shifts from traditional residential styling to one inspired by hospitality design,” says Johnson. “Clients often reference their favourite bars and hotels as starting points, crafting spaces that feel like retreats from daily domestic life. These are places where time melts away, offering a sense of escape — whether enjoyed solo, or with family and friends."
He suggests that the lockdown years of 2020 to 2022 helped to solidify this trend, and led people to prioritise escape spaces such as these that help to shift their mindset and provide them with a different environment without their having to leave home.
As for relaxation spaces that focus on well-being, rather than leisure in general, “The rising emphasis on wellness reflects a broader trend, with clients increasingly investing in their physical and mental health,” says Johnson. “This is especially evident among younger generations, who are reimagining what’s important in their lives and homes — balancing work, family, and personal ‘me time’.”
Johnson has seen a noticeable shift from traditional gym design to spaces that incorporate “recovery-focused features” such as infrared saunas, steam rooms, ice baths, hydrotherapy facilities, and Iyashi dome beds — Japanese sauna beds that are used to promote detoxification and weight loss.
Like Mainardi, Johnson believes that while personal taste naturally comes into play when designing a relaxation room, there are some guiding principles. “In spaces without good natural light or views, using warm, natural materials and textured finishes can create a cocoon-like effect,” he says. “Thoughtful, minimal lighting that casts subtle, warm glows enhances the atmosphere.” In spaces with plentiful natural light and inspiring views, the key is to keep them clutter-free with discreet storage, use materials that will help to diffuse strong light, and position furniture to maximise the views.
But his hot tip for the ultimate relaxation space, wherever in the home it may be, is as simple as it comes: “Create a room with no phone signal.”
